Rancor Slam
by Princess Raye Fire
Summary: Sequel to Dagobah Slip Stream. May contain spoilers for NJO Books. Dagobah Jedi ally themselves with the Republic, free Dathomir and the galaxy
1. Part 1

Rancor Slam

Part 1

Cas walked through the Borleais Compound. This would be the last time she saw the place, she really wanted to remember it. She even gone so far as to speak to Tam and Tarc and got them to make copies of their recordings for her, for a small fee, of course.

Vua, Vo, Slee and Uun were already on the newly re-dubbed _Shameless_. They had a limit to how much attention they could take, so she hid them away from the scientists, on her personal ship. That way if the scientists really wanted them they would had two options.

One, ask Main Control to get permission from her to board. Which wasn't going to happen.

Or, two, break in. In which case Vua got the right to snap their necks because they were endangering his personal safety.

Vua was helping keep them all occupied by teaching the others self-defense and ground combat. It would be useful later she was sure. This was, after all, a war.

Some how she doubted anyone would be bothering them. Well, not for long, at least.

She saw a suspicious silver gleam out of the corner of her eye. She tried to ignore it.

"Cas!" It was Leia.

"Yes, Ma'am?" She said politely. Saved by the politician, she'd have to remember this one.

"I was informed that you wanted to speak with me. Threepio said something about your Protocol Droid calling?"

She nodded absently. "That would be Dec."

"Yes ma'am?" The silver blob had caught her, she restrained a curse. 

Well, he was not blob. He looked humanoid, just like any other Protocol Droid. Except he was all silver with the few permanent groves from blaster scores.

It had taken him a while to learn not to walk between practice drones and Lightsabers.

"I had asked Dec to get me your comm code so that we could speak in space, not set up a meeting."

Leia smiled as they began walking. "Dec?"

"Decrepit." Cas supplied. Leia gave a surprised but wicked bark of laughter.

"Really, Mistress." The silver droid said, sounding a little miffed, "I prefer Decorous." He deadpanned. Not many droids, especially protocol droids, have mastered human humor like Dec.

Leia and Cas shared a smile. "Dec is my personal assistant and field secretary."

"If I may be so bold, milady, you are always in the field."

"Well, then that would make you the head of my secretarial staff. Now wouldn't it?"

"Well, I've never thought about it that way." The droid somehow managed to look embarrassed.

"Dec," Cas turned and looked at him and placed an hand on his shoulder, "as long as you go about the tasks I give you with your normal thoroughness and ferocity, and finish them promptly. I don't care what you think."

"Why, thank you madam." The droid said uncertainly.

"But, I didn't want to talk about you to Leia." She stopped not too far astern the _Shameless_. The droid shuffled along a head after dropping the ship's boarding ramp.

She looked at Leia. "I was asked to extend to Master Skywalker's for his apprentices an invitation to go to the Jedi Temple on my home planet. The Jedi Temple and the city around it is filled with the Jedi and their Houses."

"They could stay in the Youngling Barracks with Master Briin guarding them and Master Zinx could monitor them, giving guidance if needed. Or they could stay at my family's chateau with their own guardians. Whichever."

"Either way they'd be on a Force-Strong Planet, out of cold, hard space, which would be good for them and their Force development. And they'd have a planet of protectors that would guard them like their own flesh and blood."

"The only catch is that any one that finds out which planet is our home would either have to be sworn by the most serious Force-oath not to tell any one, or not allowed to leave. Until the end of this war, at least, when our planet will join the rebuilt New Republic, or help found the Newest Republic." Leia's comm beeped. "I'll let you go, it's probably Han."

"Thank you, and I will speak with Luke." The two women said their good byes and went to their separate ships.

"Okay, Dec, what do you got for me?" She asked, sitting on the base of the ramp, breathing deeply, and taking in the fresh air and sunshine around her. This was the last of this…living world stuff that she'd feel until Dathomir.

It would be the last she'd _feel_ of this place that she had made into a temporary home... Maybe she could found another Academy here when all this craziness was over and she could grow old at a nice sedate pace, Instead of by leaps and bounds.

The droid dug into the bag that hung at his right hip from his left shoulder. He pulled out a data pad and hit a few buttons, reviewing a few files and opening a window to take notes on her responses.

She was glad she had had advanced human mannerisms programmed into the droid. It was strangely comforting, familiar.

"Well, Master Yue, advanced me a file, before leaving the system. It was all your mail." He made a show of skimming the files.

She smiled again, apparently she wasn't the only one who liked his human characteristics.

"There are plenty of reports from your subordinates back home. Mostly Data-files. A few voice files that I will have to convert for you. All in all, a lot of travel reading for you."

"Joy." She said, her voice flat. "How about you read them and leave me foot notes in the margins?" She looked up to him, smiling like a guilty five-year-old.

"Already done, milady." The droid did something like clearing his throat. He was going to change subjects. "Apparently your recommendation to the Life Council about your choice for Sire, Kir, has been approved as of the evacuation of Dathomir."

"No surprise there."

"The Higher Councils have approved your leading the ground attack and continued participation on the _Insiders_, as long as you continue to report your progress to them."

"As if I don't already."

"They also agree to let you participate in the Trickster-scheme and they agree to let you keep your 'pet Yuuzahn Vong' as they called them, though they would like to know what you plan to do with them when they war is over."

"Tell them: If we win they will stay with me, like Quwil does. If we loose we'll all be dead so it doesn't matter. And if we get boarded, I will order Vua to kill everyone and destroy everything on board the moment it is clear we will not escape."

"Hmm, very well, madam" The droid hesitated. "They have agreed to let your defense squadron fight in the space battle."

"What's My Personal Guard does or doesn't do is none of their business as long as they do what I tell them."

"Do you want me to send that back to them ?"

"Heh…" She hesitated, looking abashed. "No, no I guess you'd better not."

"Basically, they will let you continue in this engagement as you see fit until they feel they must intervene. "

"Very well," She sighed. "That was pretty much what I expected."

"Thanks Dec."


	2. Part 2

Rancor Slam

Part 2

She heard a comm beep. She let the droid answer it. That was part of his job. She laid out of the ramp, allowing decorum to fall away for a few moments of comfort. She was suddenly glad Jan had brought Dec to her, even if he was annoying at times.

"It is Master Kir." The droid called her out of her revere. "He wants to know their squadron designation."

She stretched. "What's wrong with Red Squadron?"

The droid's head tilted to the side as her relayed her comment to Kir. "Wedge approves the name." She heard Kir's voice above her and toward her feet.

She opened her eyes and saw him there, standing at her feet. He leaned down and gave her a hand up.

He then wrapped her up in his powerful arms, crushing her against him. "But there's a feeling of…sadness, longing, in him when he hears it."

"Well, unless he asks you to change it, keep it. If he does ask, change your designation to Knight Squadron."

"Okay, boss." He smiled and kissed her cheek, flippantly.

"What are the shield trios?"

"Myself, Syn, and Nii are Flight one. I am Leader/One. Syn is Two. Nii is Three."

"Lio, Tyu and Des are Flight Two. Four, Five and Six respectively. Lio's their Flight Leader."

"I made Syc, Zat, and Nyc Flight Three, because of their bonds." He sighed and leaned against her. "I didn't like the Idea but it seemed best."

She nodded. "It is." Her voice was strange, but he knew that tone. She knew something about the future, but she never told him about her visions unless she had to or needed to tell someone for her own mental health, with out panicking the Padawans. So he didn't try to pry.

But she'd have to start telling him more if they were going to get close. But she knew that so, again, he didn't say anything, it would be too patronizing. "They are Seven, Eight and Nine, again, respectively. Zat's their Flight Leader."

"Last, Flight Four, is San, Weq, and Ber. Ten, Eleven, and Twelve respectively. Weq is their Flight leader."

"Good. The two young ones will be better off for Weq's experience."

"That's what I was thinking." He nuzzled her hair.

"What's with this?" she asked teasingly. "Why are you being so touchy-feelie all of a sudden? hmmm?"

"Dec congratulated me when he answered the call. I asked him what he was congratulating me for. He told me."

"I need to talk to Dec about running his security programs instead of his vocal synthesizers." She said, her voice stern but playful.

"When do you guys launch?" Her voice was soft, she didn't like that. She hated it when her voice gave away her thoughts. And Kir knew her well enough to interpret her voice when she wouldn't give him anything to interpret through the Force.

"Half an hour. I should be doing a few last minute order checks, but Lio's doing it for me."

"So that you could come hug me?"

"No, I was checking on Wan. But I ran into this real pretty roadblock."

"Really?"

"Yeah, she was laying right in the middle of the walk way."

"Hmmm. She got a name?"

"Yeah, but I didn't catch it. She ran off with that Jagged Fel character."

She elbowed him playfully. "Oh really?"

"Well…" he smiled, "no." He cleared his throat. "Any last orders?"

"Yeah." She turned in his hold. She grabbed his collar and made him come down to look in her eyes. "Come back alive. I don't want to marry Lio." She pushed away and ran quickly up the ramp.

"Marry?" He asked but the ramp was already closing. He smiled. Marry? So she wouldn't refuse an invitation to Marry?

"Kir," He looked back up and saw Cas, concern almost completely clouding her eyes. Her shoulders were trying to hunch in on her. She was playing with her fingers. She looked antsy, anxious and sad. "Tell Syc…and Nyc to be careful… 'kay?"

He nodded and turned away, speechless. What did _that _mean?

Kir entered the hangar with a small skip in his step, but His head was down. He was probably hiding a smile.

Syn and Nii looked at each other. The Masters had approved Kir the Sire heirs with Cas.

The Two, Cas and Kir, had been through so much. They deserved the happiness their union would bring.

Even if they hadn't figured out that their own happiness could come from this… joint venture.

But Cas had always been blind to the emotions others felt toward her. Well the good one's any way.

Kir? He was just that selfless.

They shared a small laugh. But secretly, each was glad they had a while to wait before coming of age.

You came of age on either your 17th birthday or the day you gain the title of Knight. Which ever happened last.

They didn't want Padawans or children having children, go figure. Besides you meet so many more Knights as a Knight.

The hangar was a-hum with activity.

Shuttles were taking off.

Squadrons were coming on line.

Droids and mechanics were running last minute repairs and disabling useless craft.

The Reds listened slightly pensively as they heard the _Shameless_ get clearance for take off.

The _Shameless_ carried Four Yuuzahn Vong, Four Padawans, a droid and their belongings. Cas and Quwil were flying.

No one was worried about Cas or Quwil. No, those two could take care of themselves. It was the Padawans that worried everyone. They were in the passenger cabin with four Yuuzahn Vong.

Cas was sure they would never hurt the young ones. But for everyone's state of mind she assigned them each a gunner's station. She trained them to use the weapons and put safety locks on the controls so that they couldn't fire on any thing electronic.

The _Shameless _would fly escort, keeping the evacuation route open.

Kir took a steadying breath. Cas would never let anything happen to those kids. She loved them like she would her own. He smirked, _their _own.

And Cas was one of those Knights that didn't mind doing really gruesome things when negotiations failed and it was all she could do to protect the innocent. He usually took a strange comfort in that, like he did now.

"Reds, Report status by number. Red One, four on line."

"Red Two, All systems go."

"Red Three…"

This mission wouldn't end soon enough.


	3. Part 3

Rancor Slam

Part 3

Kir led his squadron, Red Squadron, out of atmosphere. They flew between and a little behind the Tierfon Yellow Aces and Black Moon Squadrons. The Twin Suns were at point, ahead and between the Aces and Black Moon Squad. The _Millennium_ _Falcon_ was behind The Reds, using the StarFighters as a screen.

Kir felt dread trying to weave its way into his stomach. He tried to ignore it but it kept coming back. He finally had to reach out to Cas. She was at the edge of the system, waiting to escort Wedge and Tycho out. She would probably know something, he hoped.

She felt it too, the dread. The not knowing growing in her digestive tract. He felt his fingers moving with out his orders. He looked at his screen. There was a picture of the _Lusankya_ on his screen.

They hadn't been told something.

Why was the _Lusankya _in such disrepair?

__

Wedge has a plan. She told him. _We have to wait to see what it is._

The Reds flew up the _Lusankya_'s stern and got on station at different points around the great ship's engines.

Not even Five minutes later, they engaged.

Kir swooped and dived after skips of all shapes and sizes and was pleased to see Syn and Nii on either side of him, keeping in tight formation.

They were suddenly half the way to the large world ship. Three Quarters. 500 klicks off.

Master Skywalker and Knight Jade-Skywalker were taking point. Everything was going well. The Reds had lost no pilots so far, that was great.

"Reds, Help! A Skip's on my tail!" It was Syc.

Kir felt his heart sink. He completed his loop and saw. Syc had gotten separated from Nyc and Zat, some how, and had half a squad of skips was on her tail, going after easy pickings.

He saw Nyc and Zat going at insane speeds, straight through the dogfights, using the Force to guide them back to their lost member. Not even stopping to fire at even the most beautiful targets.

But they wouldn't get there in time. No one could, not even a torpedo could help her now.

Kir felt Syc, she knew no one could help her. That it was helpless. But she wouldn't give up. Because, she knew:

If she didn't make it, neither would the skips.

Kir glared. No, this could not happen. He threw all the power he could to thrust. 

"Glancer." He spoke to his astromech. "Mark those six behind Red Seven as Priority Targets 1 through 6 and send it to all the Reds." They might take that one Padawan, but the others would make them pay.

It wasn't revenge, well, not really. It was self-preservation.

You don't kill one Jedi with out the other -more powerful- Jedi tracking you down. It was that simple. It was how the Dagobah Academy stayed alive during the hard times.

By watching out for each other, and taking out any threats. That was why he was so surprised when the Councils had waited to long to let Cas and the others act.

All the Reds were converging on Syc and the six skips after her all from different angles.

Some came almost as recklessly as Nyc and Zat. Others more carefully, taking shots as the came available, protecting other pilots from Syc's fate.

He felt a scream in the Force as balls of lava converged on one lonely X-Wing.

He felt shock and horror as the Padawan died.

He felt the realization, like a weight settling in his chest. The realization that just because they hadn't lost anyone yet didn't mean they couldn't loose anyone.

And toward the edge of the system, the edge of his perception, he felt Cas collapse.

Cas opened her eyes to see her Master Shaper above her.

__

What had happened? she asked herself. _Alright_.

__

Check list time.

She remembered getting the feeling off Kir that something bad was going to happen. Check.

She remembered going to the back to care for the Younglings once whatever-it-was happened. Check.

She remembered whatever-it-was happening and hitting her like a ton of bricks. Check.

Now she was waking up with a Yuuzahn Vong looking down at her, tears in his eyes. The Younglings were all crying loudly. Quwil was calling back to her, wanting to know what was wrong.

She could think of only one thing. _One of the Reds died_.

First things first. She reached out to the Padawans with her. She comforted them, held them in the Force. Then quietly sent them into soft healing trances. It would help them mourn the passing of a friend, help their mental states. It would aid them in establishing a base of memories that could help keep them from confusion and cloudiness later in life...

She then reached out to Space, _feeling_ for her people. She ignored the bright spots in the Force she couldn't recognize and touched the ones she knew.

Kir was the brightest spot to her, because she knew him best. Then her Guardsmen, because they were familiar and highly trained in the ways of the Force. Next she felt Syn, then Nii, Zat and last Nyc.

The more highly trained of her Apprentices.

Where was Syc? Why couldn't she feel Syc?

Syc was gone. Eternally one with the Force.

Just like in her vision. But no vision could prepare one for the loss of a child, a Youngling, a beloved Padawan… It was just one more reason for these Yuuzahn Vong had to die.

Kir rolled and dove one more time.

He was above all his command for a moment. The Reds were sticking together more, now. Watching each other's backs better, after the death of Padawan Syc.

They were buzzing around what used to be the great _Lusankya_ as it plunged into the heart of the lead Yuuzahn Vong worldship.

"Leader, this is Two" It was Syn. "We have a new blip. A Y-Wing escaping the _Lusankya_."

Kir smiled, tight-lipped. "Well, lets go pick us up a Ship Commander, shall we?"

Kir fired at a skip lining up on the Y-Wing as they fell into formation behind it. The skip exploded. "This is Red Leader. Want to fly in formation Red Thirteen?"

"Gladly." The older Ship Commander said. You didn't need the Force to understand his feeling of relief.

"Good. Let's go."

Cas and Quwil maneuvered over the tumbling X-Wing. They grabbed it with the tractor beam and the _Shameless_ shook. They pulled the supposed 'Black Moon Eleven' out of the Planet's gravity.

Cas opened the Port air lock and guided the Pilot in while Quwil slaved, then coupled the X-Wing to the _Shameless_'s belly. She picked up the man and carried him to her cabin. She started pulling him out of his Flight Suit.

Once she pulled off his helmet she knew exactly who it was. She tucked blankets around the man and went to the wall-comm. "Quwil, ask Rogue Squadron to report we've retrieved General Wedge Antilles…"


	4. Part 4

*Admiral Traest Kre'fey is supposed to go through 'traditional time of mourning. Yeah, I'm ignoring that…

Rancor Slam

Part 4

The _Shameless_ and the Reds dropped out of hyperspace together. They had just taken the last leg of the 'distraction course' on the way to the rendezvous. 

They were, finally, at the rendezvous point. Before them was a Bothan Assault Cruiser. Cas didn't catch the name but she had no doubt that it was Admiral Traest Kre'fey's flagship.

Good thing she had listened Zii as she went on and on about the dashing Bothan Commander, huh?

Cas got clearance to land the _Shameless_ in the Admiral's docking bay on the dorsal side of the ship, well toward the bow. Close to the Admiral's briefing room and the medic bays.

Which made since, General Antilles was still on the _Shameless_. The medics would want to double-check him, even though Cas's med-droid had cleared him for flight and every instinct inside her said her was fine. Stressed slightly, but who wasn't?

He was taking her place behind the yoke of the _Shameless_ for the duration of the Flight.

The Reds were landing in one of the many belly Fighter bays.

The _Shameless_ hung above the deck as she allowed technicians to pull Wedge's X-Wing of her belly. She then settled onto the flooring without even the slightest jolt or jump.

But that would be expected from the great Wedge Antilles. When the entry ramp was all the way down Cas began exiting the ship.

She still wore her black crab armor with a black hooded cloak over it. She threw back the front wings of the cloak and around her waist was a silver chain belt with her Lightsaber hanging from it, clear down, past her knee.

She walked down the boarding ramp with her Yuuzahn Vong flanking her. Vua, then Uun, on her Right. Vo, then Slee, on her left.

She saw Zii and the Admiral standing a few meters from the foot of the ramp. A full New Republic Honor Guard on either side of them.

Cas smiled. "My friend." She held out her hands to Zii. "It is good to see you again."

"Oh, Cas." Zii took her hands and using them, pulled her into a hug. Cas stiffened. Zii pulled back and answered the questioning look she knew Cas would be giving her.

"We know about Syc." The woman bit her lower lip.

"Oh," She said, all her pretty words abandoning her. She left that subject and turned to the Admiral, her face a stony mask. "I take it you are Admiral Traest Kre'fey?"

"Yes." He said, fully confident, ignoring the façade of her face. "And you are Lady Cas Shik'rican, Jedi Knight and Master of Politics."

She raised an eyebrow and glanced at Zii. The girl gave her an 'I'll-tell-you-later' sign.

Cas turned back to the Admiral. "You may call me Lady Cas, or better yet, call me Cas, most of my friends do."

He gave her a toothy Bothan smile. "Only if you call me Traest."

She smiled, a cold, real looking politician's smile. "I will." She looked up to Dec, where he was standing at the top of the boarding ramp. He nodded, sort of. "We're expecting the _Tenacity_ to join us in-system soon." She told the Admiral.

"It will lead us in the Next engagement and bring in Jedi Fighters. It is of utmost import that this is clearly a Jedi movement."

The Admiral nodded. They began walking sedately toward the bay's doors. See, folks, just friends out for an evening stroll.

Unless you count the Honor Guard.

"I would like to hear your full plans." He said.

She smiled. "We will need to speak about it with Wedge and Tycho, and the Captain of the _Tenacity_. I think you will have plenty of time to hear and ask about this plan."

"Very Well. What about these…?" He had gestured to Vua and the others.

"They will be staying with me. So they'll go over to my cabin on the _Tenacity_ with me. But I must make it clear that they are not to be harmed in any way. Or there will be _severe _consequences."

The Bothan nodded.

Zii and Cas piqued up at the same time. They watched the doorway open. Kir was framed in its light.

Cas stopped herself for a second. It was almost obscene. He looked like some like of long-lost Hero, standing in the door of The den to his enemy's lair, looking for _his _lady.

But the image didn't stop her. She did not even pause really. Or laugh as she normally would have at such a mental image.

Instead Cas hurried the last steps into his arms. "Oh, Kir," was all she could get out before he crushed her in to him with a strength she had never felt before.

She felt tears threatening to fall and knew Kir had lost the battle. When she heard Zii explaining they had lost a Padawan-learner and that Padawans are like children to their Masters, she lost the battle and let silent tears fall.

She quickly pulled away from him. This was not the time or place for this. She brushed her tears away with her fingers and stepped out of Kir's embrace.

He dried his eyes. He knew she'd let her self break down later on the _Tenacity._ After their plans were laid.


	5. Part 5

Rancor Slam

Part 5

Tarest and Zii rode over with Cas and the others traveling on the _Shameless _to the _Tenacity_. 

The _Tenacity_ is an ImpStar Deuce. A larger, more powerful Imperial Star Destroyer model, whose biggest flaw is that its exhaust system is like that on the Death Star. Meaning a torpedo in the hole and boom. Bye, bye, big ship. 

But, instead of scrapping the whole line of ImpStar-II, the Empire created _Lancer_-Class Frigates to protect the 'trench'. The _Tenacity_ had two such Frigates, the _Animality _and the _Defense_.

"There will be reorganization of the Fleet for this attack." Cas told the Bothan Admiral. "Our Techs are already coming with yours, arranging schedules and things. They are going to remove any identifying markings and are working altering your drive emissions to hide the identity of this ship. We will also be re-dubbing the ship and all Squadrons."

"We will be called the Strength Fleet, Lead by the _Tenacity_ here, commanded be General Jan Ash'Rik."

"You will be Captain Mun Cut'loq, commander of the _Resolution_." Traest raised a helpless eyebrow at his new name.

"Wedge is Captain Twy Sve'nel, commander of the _Exertion_."

The Bothan tried to hide a smile. Twy? Like a bird? Twy? Part of him half scolded himself, Zii was being a bad influence.

"And Booster has agreed to play the part of Captain Kyt Mih'hik, of our ship the _Severity_."

"I will be the commander of the Ground Forces. Captain Mia Eri'lum. Until I reveal myself, should I so choose."

"Now, all these are real Jedi force-commanders. So you may be asked to use their crews or act, physically as they do when they command. So they are here to teach," She looked at him, giving him a cryptic smile. "And to learn."

They exited the _Shameless_. There the Bothan saw a huge honor guard of Stormtroopers, filling the hangar floor in front of him.

Just like what the Bothan had always imagined there was for the Emperor when he boarded the Death Star, his first and only time.

But there was something odd about their uniforms.

Their helmets instead of the small grate in front of the mouth of the goggle-like eyes there was a small reflective 't', leaving the face strangely featureless.

Traest had to keep from doing a double take. If he didn't know better he'd think they were wearing Clones Trooper Armor. But that wasn't right, only the Clone Army from the Clones Wars had wore that. Did that mean they were Clones? Nah, couldn't be.

He saw Zii and Cas exchange a smile behind his back.

Cas woke early on her 28th day aboard the _Tenacity_. No one, but Cas, knew the exact day they would launch on Dathomir.

It had taken twelve days for all of the Republic's personnel to get on station. It took ten more days for the Jedi forces and supplements to come in fully. Because all Jedi, even the Republic's Jedi, would be using Jedi Star Fighters. 

There would be no less than four Squadrons of All Jedi Star Fighters and the Republic's Squadrons would be supplemented, filled out, with Jedi Forces. 

And because everyone was waiting for Cas's signal to start moving, they were all pensive, easy to annoy.

Everyone was on full alert. So everyone was trying to avoid everyone else's toes. That meant lots of practice drills and pilots flying spy runs on 'probable targets'. All kinds of things.

Really, it was what ever the Squad Commanders could think of, and get approved, to keep their people busy, out of each others way.

Cas sat with Kir, well, leaned against him at the breakfast table in her suite. Syn and Nii sat across from them. Zat and Nyc sat to Cas's Right, and Quwil was to her left.

Xyr and the younger ones wouldn't participate in the fight so they were not forced to go along with the ship's schedule.

Dec came and took their orders for breakfast. He left to send their orders down to the galley but brought Cas the Comm-link she asked for before her food.

She programmed in Wedge's code. Cas sighed as she put the comm-link to her mouth and spoke three words.

"Commence: Rancor Slam."


	6. Part 6

Rancor Slam

Part 6

Zii sat in the briefing amphitheater with the other pilots.

Cas, Wedge and Tycho sat behind a table in front of them.

Cas stood. "I must leave to the Landing Briefing in a few moments so I'm just going make this clear to all. Jedi and commoner alike."

"The Jedi Council has declared, the Yuuzahn Vong have had their warning. Two years of warning to be exact. This will be the first in a long line of attacks, and, hopefully, gains." She paused meaningfully. "For us."

"This is a Jedi attack." Cas almost smirked to herself, it didn't quite sound right, but... "We will do this the Jedi way. The big ships and fighters have been converted to hide their true identities. All ships and squadrons will be re-designated." She fixed her gaze on Jaina. "And all side Intelligence operations will be temporarily postponed."

"Red Squadron has been re-designated Knight Squadron and will be led by Knight Zii." Zii held up her hand to be recognized. "Rogue Squadron has been changed to Red Squadron, it will be led by Gavin Darklighter." He, too, was recognized. "The Black Moons will simply be Black Squad, led by Luke Skywalker. The Yellow Aces will be the Golds, led by Wes Janson. The Twin Suns will be White Squadron, led by Jaina Solo."

"You will all fly off the _Tenacity_, with the Jedi Squadrons Purple, Green, and Orange."

"The Knights have probably been reorganized the most, they will be the 'Rogue Squadron' of this engagement, which is why their name is not a color. Jedi Knights will fill out the missing positions in all your squadrons. And if you wish they have been given permission to join any squad that will have them, if they want to." She nodded. "Thank you."

"Wedge?" She stepped away and Wedge stepped up to the podium as she exited the room. She made it to the Ground troop briefing just as they were called to order.

She managed to make it to her seat with out any one calling the group to attention and was grateful for it.

"Alright." The lead Clone trooper began. "The plan is simple. First, Lady Cas," Cas waved her hand so they every one would know who she was. "Will take a party on to the planet in an Intelligence Intrusion. Lady Cas have you chosen your landing party?"

"Yes, sir. Myself and three of my Yuuzahn Vong, Vua Shai, Uun and Slee, my Padawan Quwil, and Four of your elite troopers, preferably the ones trained to fight along side Jedi."

The man nodded. "Smith, Hammer, Niks, and Jazz will be with you." The troopers' XO took notes. "What about the Shaper? Vo Kwaad?"

"He will remain here, with you. I will send to him when the forces on the ground are ready for transport and offense. Vo will be the only one remaining here I could send the message to with out ruining their concentration at their post."

The man nodded once again. "You will have your troopers, they will be personally briefed after the meeting."

"As for the rest of us. We will aid the People of Dathomir, helping to guard their evacuation. We will have an estimated ten minutes to set up a layered perimeter before their ground forces can effectively move in. Lady Cas has assured me that Air reinforcements for the other side will be limited." He made it a statement but looked at Cas questioningly.

She smiled and waved it away like it didn't matter. "It's... a Jedi thing. You'll have to see it to believe it."

He nodded. "My predecessor warned me about your kind, Jedi. If you say you have it covered, We believe it. If you say it is something we'll have to see to believe, we'll watch."

"Now…"


	7. Part 7

Rancor Slam

Part 7

Cas rode in the intrusion capsule Face had given her. It was a very singular experience, riding down to a planet like a meteor.

Members of the _Strength _Fleet had launched meteors at the planet in random patterns, simulating a real meteor shower. Their chosen shower was supposed to make land fall a few hundred meters into the Forest around the Dathomir Witch Clans' hidey-holes. 

She felt the capsule heat up more. For a moment she was afraid the heat would melt her Crab Armor. But Vua immediately assured her the Crab Armor was very durable and would live through this.

They landed, amazingly, in a lake. Or they would have. Cas and Quwil ended up catching all nine capsules just below tree level and then lowering them all, somewhat less than gently, onto the riverbank.

Levitation was not a strong spot for either of them. Even with the Gauntlet boosting their power it had been a struggle. Needless to say, they had to camp there that night, because Cas and Quwil couldn't move. Not even enough to get away from their own capsules.

The two spent the night deep in Jedi trances. Early the next morning, Vua and one of the troopers, Jazz, woke them.

The Jedi were the last to wake. Cas woke up hot and sweating from Dathomir's humidity. Cas shook her head. If Dathomir was effecting her like this she hadn't been home, to Dagobah, enough.

She faced the lake. Some thing was off about the Lake. Well, she could kill two birds with one stone.

She rubbed the crab armor and it began pulling away from her. When it was gone she walked to the middle to the lake. There were no creatures in the lake.

A dead Lake on Dathomir? That was odd.

When she was in water about as high as she was, she stood on a tall rock and the water was only waist deep. She began moving, turning slowly. She held her arms out with her palms toward the sky. She let her head fall back.

Something had happened here. There was a Blackness toward the East, a Light toward the west, and an Emptiness from north to south.

It took time, but eventually she _saw _what happened. She _re-watched _it, the Vong had come by here. A few Witches and the Nightsisters had met them, trying to stop their advancement.

The convergence of strong Darkness and blazing Light had made the creatures in the area Mad. They had killed themselves, and now other animals were afraid to move in.

The Vong had been forced back. They had been made to go around the woods. But the victory had been costly. Many had died.

Mostly the few new Night Sisters. And their Dark Deaths polluted the balance in the area.

Normally Cas would reestablish the balance so that the animals would come back in, but this would be a taxing enough day for her. Neither she nor the Witches could make due if she stumbled on this day. So she couldn't set her self up to let that happen.

"Quwil," She called out. "When the war is over, make sure someone comes here to clean this place." She could feel the Wookie nod and she knew it would be done.

Wookies are a lot harder to kill then Humans and they live a lot longer. There was a good chance she would make it out of this if Cas were killed.

Well, come on, the last Wook this war had killed had had to have a moon pulled down on him.

She started lowering her _awarenesses_ back to her usual self-bubble and felt at the furthest edge of her senses two familiar presences.

She turned toward the camp. She dove into the water and swam back in. She crawled up on to the shore and noticed the four troopers keeping their eyes fixedly outside the camp. She shook her head. They were trying to be polite. They couldn't recognize the slight they were giving her.

On Dagobah, every one sweats until and even after they get used to the weather. And you never knew who exactly would be your mate, so you always pay attention when some one shows, or tells you about, their body.

She stepped into her crab armor and, when it was covering her, she put on her cloak and the silver-chain belt with her LightSaber.

She called out to the troopers. "We should move now." She picked up her pack and walked toward the two presences. They came upon the presences from the Southeast.

Well, one of them, actually. He was sitting on a big rock in the center of a clearing. He wore the pair of tight red lizard hide britches she had given him. Well, mostly, now they had yellow and green patches from where he'd grown to big or worn the material down.

He didn't wear a shirt. So she could see his strong chest and arms, earned from years of Hard Work. His past-shoulder-length black hair was loose around him. His head was back and his up-tilted eyes were closed. She knew his eyes were black, like Xin and Xan's, and his body was the same amazing solid gold/amber.

It was her Dathomiry man-slave, normally referred to as her concubine. His name is Jak.

He lowered his head to look at the group and smiled seductively. When he recognized Cas a light entered his face and smiled for real. "Milady." He said as he stood and moved toward her, his arms outstretched.

Vua Shai moved forward, placing his amphistaff between Jak and Cas. Jak froze in place. His eyes wide, staring at the snake head hissing at him. "Cas, I never thought you would betray us." Was all Jak could say, his voice was soft, his face sad.

She looked at him, shock crippling her. "Jak." It had been _so _the wrong thing to say the first time he'd seen her over five, six… some odd years.

"Lady Cas would never betray us." It was Mother Augwynne. Cas looked for the older woman.

She was standing at the edge of the clearing, behind Jak and to his left. She was still the leather bound warrior Cas remembered. A free spirit, a warrior, a woman, and a Jedi in training.

"Mother." Cas held her hands out to the woman. She took the woman's hands in her own then knelt, placing her forehead on their hands.

She knew, behind her, her three Yuuzahn Vong each knelt then doubled themselves over, with their hands held out before them. They were prostrating themselves to be lower then their 'goddess', their Mistress.

She could feel the Troopers' unease at this and Jak's lack of knowing how to continue. Cas waited for Augwynne to touch her shoulder to get up. She stood and waited for the woman to let the Yuuzahn Vong get up.

But first the woman turned to Cas. "Before I take you back to our people, I must know. What are you doing with three of the accursed Yuuzahn Vong?"

"Actually, I have four." She saw the leader of the Singing Mountain Clan's eyes widen, the woman took an involuntary half-step back.

But When she realized what she was doing she stopped the motion and made it so anyone that did not know her would think she was getting into a ready position.

"The last is with the Ground troops waiting for me to send him the signal to begin." Cas took a deep breathe. "It's a long story. But they are basically honor-bound servants to me. Something between Jak and Quwil."

She looked at her adoptive mother. She moved closer and dropped her voice, like she was sharing a secret. "Because of a ritual we accidentally began in the Forest where we met, I can feel them in the Force." She looked off toward the horizon. "I can feel what they feel. See what they see. Think what they think. I assure you, they will be absolutely no threat to our people. But…"

She dropped her head, staring at the ground. Her voice became a threatening whisper, "But if _they _are threatened, I will be." The woman looked at her, a greater surprise on her face.

"They are under my protection, Mother. They would not have survived this long with out it." She shook her head and glared at the rising sun like it was her enemy. "Besides it would be really stupid to have them killed by the people I told them I trusted the most." She stepped back from the woman.

She touched Vua and Slee and Uun and they rose, standing behind her like aggressive shadows. She glared at Jak and Augwynne. Daring them to question he judgment.

Her 'Mother' just shook her head and signaled the Rancors. They were three of the Rancors she had brought back with her from Green Mountain. The place she had completed her _Years of separation_.

-The first trial she had completed that got her excepted into the Dathomir Witches. And eventually led to the alignment of Dathomir and Dagobah.-

Klik, Gedzjh, and Rrem. 

Klik had been the head female she had brought back. Rrem her favorite male. Gedzjh their oldest daughter.

Klik held out a hand to her. She touched the creature. Another friendly reunion. Well, two out of three ain't bad.

Klik asked Cas what was to become of the Rancors when the evacuations began. 

Cas told her they would be evacuated. And it was true. The Rancors were as much part of the Dathomir alliance as the Witches were. The Rancors would be taken to Dagobah. There were people who would take them in. And jobs they would be perfect for.

Augwynne climbed on Rrem as Cas mounted Klik and Jak mounted Gedzjh. Then Vua, Slee and Uun climbed on behind Cas. Two of the troopers climbed on behind each of the other two. Quwil climbed on with Augwynne.

They left toward the foothills. Toward the River of Stones.


	8. Part 8

Rancor Slam

Part 8

They rode the Rancors for about half a day. When the sun was beating down on them like an Ewok War Drum they entered the foothills.

Around them they began seeing charms, warning totems, and watch posts. Markings of the Witches presence.

Cas felt Vua shift behind her. He moved closer to her. So that he was on the saddle, pressed almost completely against her. He put his hands on her abdomen then slid them down so they sat on her thighs.

He was dangerously close to becoming too personal.

She had to fight to keep from reacting angrily. She had not given him permission, or any hint toward allowing him to touch her.

She felt him laughing in the back of her head. At first she thought he was laughing at her. Then she touched his mind and realized Jak was feeling quite annoyed. 

She smiled to herself and leaned in to Vua. He was startled for a moment until he realized what she was doing.

He leaned down to whisper in her ear. But she glanced up and caught his eye. She played her fingers over his hands then up to the latch on her belt.

He smiled.

She laughed at him, in her head.

He shook his head.

Jak's annoyance was sky rocketing.

It wasn't Jedi-like to take joy in causing other people to feel negative feelings. They had to stop. They faced forward and rode the rest of the way in silence. But they stayed as they were.

The reached the Witch Clans' camp at dusk. The camp was in a great Ravine. All the remaining sisters from all nine clans were there.

Many of her friends from the Singing Mountain, Northern Lakes, Red Hills and Frenzied River Clans; Many of the women, who had administered her trials to become a Witch, were missing.

She watched as a suspicious looking gray blur ran in and tackled her.

"Lyn!" She cried. Lyn is a Ryn She and Master Kyl had saved from slavery not too long before Cas had faced her Padawan-to-Knight trials.

Cas had been amazed when her Master had revealed that reading Cards was actually how they girl portrayed what she saw. The girl was also an amazingly strong clairvoyant, a psychic who sees events or thoughts, gets knowledge off of people and objects at a touch.

(The fact that she would touch Cas meant her years on Dathomir had been put to good use. She finally had it under control.)

The girl had also shown unusual light-footedness, Usually a sign of Telekinesis or pre-cognition. Both are great talents in the Force. But the girl had opted to learn control over her clairvoyance before learning to tap the Force.

"Master Cas!" The girl cried. "Have you come to teach me?"

"I can teach you. I've got an opening in my apprentices." She choked.

The young Ryn's brow furrowed. "Who died?" She asked bluntly.

"Syc."

"Oh, no." The girl's face went to a puzzle. "That's terrible!"

The Clan sisters were around them. Cas gave a sad smile. "I'll be fine. We all will."

"I have told them that your creatures have your protection." It was Mother Augwynne. "But they don't like it."

"That's fine. We'll all be gone from here in less than two days. By the end of the day if you don't mind a long day." She stepped onto a near by crate so that every one could see her, then projected her voice so that all the women, slaves and children could hear her.

"Pack as much as you can carry. As soon as you have all you can take I want it reported to me by groups."

She knew she was taking control like Mother Augwynne should but she knew what needed to be done, and how to do it. So her adopted mother let her take the lead.

"I then want the Warriors and Rancors prepped for battle. We will have to hold back the Yuuzahn Vong ground forces while the carrier ships land, and until the Commandos have landed and are ready to take position."

"I also want all Clans to make their choice. You can live in Light City as a member of Dagobah society or you can continue the Dathomir way of life on the untouched eastern continent."

"Remember. You all have a choice. If you think living where your Clan chooses to live will not be what you want You can join a clan that is going where you want and it can take you. Please. All families and/or Clans. Keep your things, and people, together so that nothing is lost."

She clapped her hands, changing subject.

"You need to make your decisions and form two groups. Those for Dagobah City life." She pointed to the East wall. "And those for slightly different than Dathomir country living." She pointed to the West wall.

"Needless to say." She looked at Jak and her Rancors. "I and mine will choose the city." Jak nodded and started moving to get his things then go to the East wall.

"You have three hours to pack and make your decisions. I want to speak to all scouts in half that time. And all warriors should be ready in double it."

"Dismissed."

She walked over to where she saw Jak working, packing.

She sat on his sleeping mat and crossed her legs. She felt more than saw Jak staring at her.

She felt more than saw Vua Shai put his amphistaff down on her mat. It moved and curled around her left thigh. Slee and Uun followed his lead. Their snake-weapons curling around her right thigh and bicep.

She felt more than saw Vua, Slee, and Uun approach Jak. Asking how they could help.

She didn't need the Force to feel Jak's disdain toward the Warrior.

Jak looked toward Cas. Almost asking for permission to tell them what they could do with their Amphistaffs. But he didn't.

He shook his head and gave a ruff smile.

"We're gonna have to live with each other sooner or latter, right? Here, pass that to me, will ya?"

Cas let out a breath she hadn't know she was holding, relief flooding her.

'Something is up with Jak.' She felt Vua telling her. 'He is unusually angry, pensive when we come by.'

'Something was done to him.' That was Uun.

'By one of our old kind.' It was Slee! She used the link the least of her Yuuzahn Vong. She only used it when she had something important to say.

Slee looked at her. 'Why do our four troopers,' she motioned to them, they were standing guard at four points around Jak's encampment, 'look exactly alike?'

Cas looked at her and smiled. 'They're clones.' Cas closed her eyes to the image of a startled, almost shell-shocked Priestess. 

She dropped into herself, into the small trough of the Force she carried in her heart. More specifically the one she was carving especially for her Four, her Yuuzahn Vong.

She touched it she felt her links to her four in bright living color, she felt the links they were forming to each other, too. She looked for it specifically and touched Vo Kwaad, Her Shaper.

'Vo?'

'Milady?'

'Vo, Tell them to move. They have their eight hours.'


	9. Part 9

Rancor Slam

Part 9

At two hours every one was packed and against their chosen wall.

Five clans had elected to go to the Eastern Continent. Three had decided to go to the City. The Singing Mountain Clan was split down the middle.

Even after Cas had assured them they would have ways to transport between the City and the Eastern Continent they stayed that way. Strangely, the same argument only made the other Clans more comfortable with their choices.

Well, that and the assurance that they could use Cas's House to make any purchases they might need until they got settled into what was right for them.

Of course their honor demanded they would have to pay her back for the purchases they might make. Which they would do, but only when they could.

Two hours later the scouts had found a flat, open place for the pick-up, about an hour away from the camp on foot.

Before they moved out Cas had the Warriors make their final arrangements with their Clans. Making quick wills, or the like, in case something should happen to them. 

During that time Cas was busy at work.

She rode out to the Landing spot with Vua and Uun on Rancors and checked it out for herself. There was a chain of nine caves in line of sight, not too far from removed Landing. She decided that would be where the Clans would leave their belongings, while they were all moving materiel.

They then rode out to the hidden stock. StarFighters. Parts for StarFighters. Parts for Capital Ships. Ship artillery. Ship armor. R2-XJ's. Ship electronics in general. Ground artillery. Ground Troop Transports. Lightsabers and Lightsaber parts.

A huge cave full.

But what was best was that some wise person had piled a hundred or more hoversleds in the corner, with Rancor harnesses.

She then Rode back, leaving Vua and Uun to start moving things to set up a perimeter around Landing.

She found who she was looking for easily. Jak was tending Cree, Klik's newest daughter.

He just looked up at her when she stood in front of him.

She nodded. He was upset.

He probably never expected to play second fiddle to ex-enemies. She grimaced to herself. He won't like it when he finds out he's actually third. 

"What's wrong?" She asked. Her voice so soft she couldn't really hear it.

He looked at the sleeping baby Rancor in his lap. "You remember when I was given to you?"

"Yes."

"They told you I was sterile, because of an accident when I was younger."

She nodded as she sat, of course she knew. He had had to be sterile. She couldn't except him until after she had had her heirs if he could have made her pregnant.

"Later as some unseen possible answer to one of your quests. You took your own seed and made me fertile again. You even played with it so that while it was in me it would be Force strong…what? Sperm, at the cost of your own fertility while I have it."

She nodded again, remaining silent. He would come to a point soon.

"I was able to father daughters on Singing Mountain Warriors, like a Force-strong breeder."

She nodded. She knew that. She had only the X-chromosome so by reason he would have only daughters. And she was Force strong, and that usually bred true.

"I had a son." She felt her eyes open wider. She could feel her own shock like a foreign force.

He just nodded. He looked up at her, the first tears falling from his eyes. "The raided the Mountain Citadel. They raided from the forest behind the Slave camp."

Her mouth fell open, as the implication hit her. "He was killed by Yuuzahn Vong?"

Jak nodded. "His name was Jas. After the two of us."

She slid her arm around his shoulders, pulling him near. She held him as he left his grief and mourning go. She held him as he wept himself to sleep. She let him sleep for the next hour.

When the six hours was up and all the Warriors were gathered with Cas, she gave them orders. 

The separate Clan Warriors would protect their Clan's until they all got to the Caves. They would stand guard as their belongings were left in the Caves.

Then Cas would lead them all back to the Supply Cave and they would join Vua and Uun in moving the stuff to Landing.

When she got the Five-minute warning from Vo she would order everyone to stop what they were doing and go to the caves.

They would get their stuff then go back to Landing.

When they reached Landing the Warriors would take positions at the perimeter around the Landing field and the place the slaves, children, and materiel were waiting.

When she got the one-minute warning they would set off homing beacons for the transport pilots.

If everything went according to plan, they would be on Dagobah in four days. Everyone would start getting settled and Cas could leave orders with her House as to what they were to do if contacted by any of the Clans.

Cas would be back in action and married to Kir inside a week. Lyn would be her newest Padawan. And Jak?

Well, she was sure she could find something for him…


	10. Part 10

Rancor Slam

Part 10

"Alright!" Cas called from the back of the Battle ready Klik, she was secretly pleased to notice Klik stood the tallest of all the Rancors.

"Move Out!" She put action to her words by asking Klik to go.

Klik left at a nice clip, even if it was a little slow. But the Rancor would have a lot of work to do so Cas let it stay that way.

They reached the Clan Caves and everyone dismounted. Everyone helped everyone else pack things into the caves. They left the young Witches-in-training on guard.

A few of the really young ones, many looking suspiciously like Cas, sat around young Cree, holding her, guarding the 'helpless' little baby Rancor.

The men and Warriors walked to the Supply cave. Vua on Rrem and Uun on Gedzjh met them at its entrance. The two called out to Cas, in Vong, so she answered in kind.

Jak nudged her elbow and diverted his eyes toward the Warriors. They were getting testy. 

She cleared her throat. "A slight change in plans." She looked to Augwynne on Tosh "Vo _spoke_ with them. He said the fleet is waiting out side the system. They want us to get everything to Landing. Once that's done, _I_ call Vo to start this mess."

She clapped her hands in front of her and rose her voice into her Command-voice. "Alright, Ladies, half an hour and I want that cave empty. Let's Move!"

Jak slid off, down Klik's side and moved into the Cave. Cas got Klik to turn to face toward Landing. A moment later Jak was behind them, pushing a pre-loaded hoversled. He pulled the Harness off the top of the Lightsaber supplies and threw it up to Cas.

She made quick work of attaching hooks from the harness to loops on Klik's saddle. She then slid off and started toward Landing with the Four troopers, and Vua, Uun, Slee and their loaded down Rancors.

They made it to Landing ten minutes later. Vua explained to her the layers of defenses they had laid, via their mental link.

It took five minutes for the Slaves at Landing and the Rancor handlers to unload the Rancors. Then five minutes for the lightened Rancors to make it back to the Cave.

A Twenty-minute run in all, she didn't like it, but they could deal with it.

They got back to the caves and found that many of the R2's and Fighters were missing.

The Slaves told her that Augwynne spoke to the droids asking how much they could control the Fighters. That the answers had pleased the old woman and that she lead them on a ground following flight down the longer, clearer path to Landing, on Tosh.

It was a risky move. What if there were Vong spies around here? They would follow Augwynne back to Landing.

She Assigned Klik to take the four troopers back to Landing. They were to quietly activate the corner defenses and send Klik back to her.

She stayed at the Cave, helping others load their Rancors.

When Klik returned, there was one load left, for Cas and Klik.

She had already sent the others, including Slee and Jak, to the Clan Caves to gather their things.

She had Vua running scouting missions, checking out to see if the Yuuzahn Vong were in the area, estimate their reaction times to the people at Landing, and to see if they had gotten wind of any of this yet.

When every Rancor and it rider were present and accounted for Cas allowed her posture to slip.

She closed her eyes and reached back into her heart. It to the place she kept her perceptions of her special people.

She _felt _Syn and Nii, sitting, talking and eating breakfast in the pilot's galley on board the _Tenacity_. They were with a few of their old friends from when they had still lived in the Youngling Barracks of the Jedi Temple on Dagobah. She _saw_ them both stop and _look_ to where she was _standing_. Syn smiled, Nii looked confused. 

She _saw_ Kir in the Shower in his cabin. He stopped turned toward her and smiled. He said something, but she didn't catch it before she left.

She saw Xyr trying to quiet the baby, Wan, While Lio sat in the corner with Tex and Jen in his lap, telling them a story. The Padawans _felt her_, Lio _felt something_. But they all stopped and _looked_ toward the corner where she _stood_.

That was every one on the ship she wanted to tell her good byes, in case something happened. Well she _had _to_ tell_ one more person something_._

Vo? She thought, as she appeared in her own quarters where the Shaper was curled up in the middle of her bed.

He looked up to her and smiled 

__

Vo, The Shaper frowned at her seriousness,_ It is time to begin._


	11. Part 11

Rancor Slam

Part 11

Cas opened her eyes and straightened her posture. She could already fell Vo coming closer. "Alright, people" She called.

"Activate the homing beacons. Ladies here's what I want you to do." She slid down, off Klik.

"Can any one make storms like Teneneil Djo, daughter of Allya, used to?" Three girls of the nine clans raised their hands.

She felt relief wash over her, it was more than she had expected.

"Okay," She unconsciously gave a small smile and she felt relief radiate off the girls.

She looked around at the group. "You." She pointed to a woman she didn't recognize in Frenzied River color armor. "You, you, you…" She pointed out nine girls and ten women, including Lyn.

"I want you to stand in a circle around these three and open your selves to your power."

"Girls, I want you to take the power you gain from them and channel in into cloud cover, a Force-Storm I also want you to be ready to clear an area of flying debris for our ships to come through. Okay?"

"How big do you want it?" One girl in Singing Mountain Reds asked.

"As big as you can make and maintain with the power they give you and the power you have within your self."

"Master Cas," It was Lyn. "We've never done any of this… sharing power. Will you show us?"

Cas hesitated. "I can show you what I'm talking about. But I can't do it for you. This is part of your path, Padawan Lyn." The girl nodded. Cas turned away. "Everyone else I want you to stand guard around the perimeter."

"Our four troopers have surprises their going to use to trip out foes, but I want you all ready for the inevitable group that will get through. Augwynne, will command you, my sisters. I will command the troopers that come in to take your places."

"When a trooper comes in and taps your shoulder, I want you to fall back, gather your things and get on a ship. Understood?"

Most nodded.

"I want one woman and one Rancor from each Clan to stay with the supplies and help the landing troopers to load them into the ships. Understood?"

They all nodded.

"Good, now you," She turned back to the 'Storm Group'. "This is what I mean." She started making images in their minds. Weaving what she wanted in to their thoughts but leaving it open enough that they had to figure it out for themselves.

She silently moved away from them, to ward the Warriors, allowing them to discuss it themselves. In a few moments she saw storm clouds from the north moving in, she smiled, they were working already.

Then she heard thunder and rain began to poor. She frowned. Were they going to work off a real storm? It would save them power that they could use to channel else where, but it would make fighting hard.

Maybe they were hoping it would stop the Yuuzahn Vong.

She saw Forest debris fly in to the mix as the winds picked up. The wind howled high and lonely, low and bone-shaking. She heard the first echo of Engine thrust as the troop landing craft and cargo-haulers.

Vo rode down in the first ship. He didn't catch its name, or that of its pilot. They didn't seem important.

He had to get back to His Lady. She had ordered it. And the turbulence going down made him stop regretting not being allowed to go down their with her, Vua Shai, Slee and Uun.

He wondered how they did it. His Lady hadn't told him exactly how just that they were going to ride down to the planet like Meteors in a Meteor shower. But he couldn't understand how they could do it when he could barely stand this 're-entry'.

He stood behind the pilot, looking out the front viewport. They had asked him to stay in the cockpit of the lead ship, like a Comm-unit to Lady Cas.

They were riding down, going directly toward the homing signal. But it was dark and their were lots of clouds. It looked to be raining where they would be landing. But what's-more there was some large debris and strong winds.

The pilot raised doubts about getting through.

Vo, in turn, raised them to Cas.

He felt her say something to some one then _turn_ to him.

__

Get over the beacons. Then come straight down, almost on top of them. Was all she said. So he, again, in turn, passed it on to the pilot.

They did as she said. They got directly over the beacons and landed vertically. When they were in the clouds the discovered by some trick they had turned certain patches of clouds into mere fog.

Vo was among the first off of the transport. He heard his Lady shouting orders, but he couldn't find her.

He saw the troopers all run in one direction, south of where they landed. There, there were a bunch of men and children with belongings. Standing in a circle around were women in rough leather armor and large hideous, pale creatures that towered well over the human's heads.

He heard his lady calling out again.

He saw some of the troopers go to the men, children and belongings. Probably taking them back to the cargo ships. 

He saw some go to a great pile of supplies, to start moving them into hauler ships. And saw a few 'Jedi StarFighters' go up to meet a docking-transport.

Then he saw a third group break off and go to the armored women. That's where his Lady would be, on the Front line, between her people and danger. He followed the highest-ranking trooper. The one with red accents painted on his armor.

They went to the front. Cas was there, beside the largest white beast of the group and an amber skinned man- the only male on the front line without white armor.

"Vo Kwaad!" She called in greeting, not looking at him. "These are Klik," She motioned to the pale beast. "And Jak" She pointed to the man.

"Now," She said, looking away from the forest in front of her, allowing Vua to move in front of her, watching her back. "Jak, Vo Kwaad and Slee, Get Cree and everything you packed. Help keep the men and children calm. It will get rough in a few moments." 

"Jak," She pulled Jak against her, like they'd only seen her do once with Kir. "Organize the evac," She gave a cocky smile. "And take care of yourself." Kissed him, roughly, then pushed him toward Vo and Slee, and turned back to the front.

She now stood between Uun and Vua with Klik, a menacing shadow behind them.


	12. Part 12

Rancor Slam

Part 12

The attack took a small eternity to reach them as they waited in pensive silence. But when it came, it came fast and hard.

The all looked to the sky as the heard trees falling around them above the sound of the winds and driving rain.

Cas looked at the Commander. He had the controls to the explosives Vua and the others had set. "I only want those going off when Ranges are directly above them." 

He nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

She looked back. With her Force-Attuned senses, combined with and sharpening the perceptions of Vua and Uun, she could hear the inarticulate grunts and war cries of the small reptilian front troops.

She could smell the ranges crawling silently behind them.

She could sense the not-so-absent spaces moving all around them.

"I'll take the front mini-troopers." She told the captain.

He nodded. "Yes, Ma'am." Taking orders like a real trooper, she thought. She heard her Yuuzahn Vong's mental snickers.

She knelt and touched the ground. Klik, who'd seen this trick before, picked up Uun, Vua, and the trooper, and moved them back a Rancor pace.

Cas ignored the Rancor.

She caressed the earth with her Gauntlet. She scratched it gently, like she scratched Klik when she was Cree's size. She then plunged her hand, wrist deep into the ground, and splayed it there.

She closed her eyes and opened herself to the tainted Gauntlet. She felt it smile. It would kill them for her. It would take out her enemies, as its powers would allow.

When the frog-troopers reached with in twenty meters of Cas -Where they could see her, but not quite harm her -she smiled at them. The Gauntlet let go. Blue lightning raced from her planted hand, through the ground.

She felt the ground react to the tainted Gauntlet. It rumbled and shuttered under it, toppling the ranges that followed the troopers closely.

The earth felt the glove and mourned for it. It took the Dark poison from the Light tool, like bread with broth.

She smiled sadly. She knew that would happen. She felt it. She felt the consciousness-of-the-glove's joy at being free. She felt the earth blacken to ash and begin destroying the evil, making it Light again. 

And until it was done, anything with dark intents that crossed that spot would surely die.

She stood and staggered back toward Vua and Uun. The blue lightning was still dancing over the ground like an ion bolt over a StarFighter. It would be for some time.

In the distance she heard explosives going off as the ranges came over them. A moment later, the trooper reported all the Materiel was loaded and the ship was taking off with their Fighter Escort.

She told him to take the children, men, and younger Rancors and their belongings up, that she wanted them gone as soon as the Fighters came back for another pass. He took the order, passing it on, even though he had known it was coming.

The Vong frog-troopers and Ranges had all retreated or were all dead, which she found hard to believe. Cas frowned; this is an odd play for the Yuuzahn Vong.

Were they just testing the Clans' defenses?

She called out for a report on casualties. There were none, yet.

Cas ordered them all to expand their perimeter circle.

The Defending Witches all moved two to three meters away from the troops. The all held their Force-Pikes, or in Cas's case, Lightsabers, at ready.

Cas held her Lightsaber in two parts, instead of the two sided whole. She liked using in two parts. It had more manipulability.

She had made them years ago, during her two years of separation, out of the femur bone of a fallen Rancor and twin pieces of crystallized obsidian she had found near a volcano.

The first attack came from the East, then there was one to the West, then the South. They were trying to panic the Warriors.

But that would never happen.

They must have a very low opinion of the Witches.

Either that or... they were trying to draw them away from the North, meaning some thing big would be coming from that direction.

"Commander!" She screamed, half turning. "Concentrate all fire on the Northern ridge. On my mark, open up."

He nodded, yet again. "Yes, Lady Cas."

She was right, and it was big.

A small Army, about a few hundred Vong, charged on Foot. This was not good. They had height over the Witches and if they had thudbugs the angle would make sure every blow struck someone.

She had to hope that the Vong would have their throwers in the front, like a front line of ancient archers. "The front Line." She said when the Commander looked at her. "Mark!"

The ship cannons opened up on the front line and started racking their way back to the heart of the line. She hadn't expected that, she had meant the ground weapons only.

Oh well, too late now. But they _would _talk later

Several Yuuzahn Vong Warriors superheated and exploded very dramatically. Taking those closest to them, too.

"Milady, The second group is away!" The Commander Called as the First warrior reached Cas. She had to struggle to hear the man as she switched on one white/black blade.

She slashed and swirled, killing Warriors before they could set up attacks. This forced them to stop their charge shorter, giving her more room. It gave her more room to move, but it also gave her more room she had to watch.

"Good, Commander," She called over her shoulder. "Start evacuating the Warriors. Start in the South and work your way here."

The man nodded, "Of Course, Milady." He started talking on his helmet comm as he shot down a few more Vong.

She saw Vua and Uun begin to wade in to the Fight. But she signaled them not to. "You might get confused for a target."

They stayed at her side. Close enough to be known as 'her Vong' but far enough away to let her move with out worrying about them and her blades.

A large warrior moved in front of her and the others all moved away and back a ways, but they didn't stop fighting.

"You. Fight me. Honor duel." He said in rough basic, like he wasn't sure she could understand her own language. He was giving her a gross insult, after she had just foiled a 'brilliant' plan. She glared at him.

"You have no honor, Hutt-slobber." She said in quick, fluent Yuuzahn. "Your Warmaster has shown that." The male's eyes widened, rage contorted his face. "Oh, don't do that." She told him again, in the Yuuzahn Vong language. "It makes you even uglier."

She bit her tongue. It wasn't Jedi-like to egg people on, into a fight. But did that count if you knew your enemy was going to attack anyway?

He snorted and lunged. She sidestepped him, turning on her second blade as she moved. She then scissored her blades across his waist and spun out, spreading her arms. Using the blades as independently moving weapons she Took down at least four Vong before moving back to their Captain.

"Never allow your anger to cloud your judgment. It is the Dark Side, and it was your down-fall." He spit at her.

She had stepped back into the fight and he missed.

A final disgrace.

She heard the wine of repolsuor lifts. She turned and saw an open-side Clone Trooper carrier moving toward her, with her people and things on board.

The Commander was the first one on, helping her cover them as Vua and Uun clambered on. She pushed back a final line as the Carrier began to move back and up.

She leapt into the air and allowed the Force to guide her landing. She landed on the lip of the entrance to the carrier chamber, but started slipping backward.

Something hit her from behind and pushed her into the Carrier.

It took her a moment to realize what hit her, and by then she was too far-gone into shock and Jedi healing techniques to care.

RazorBugs are nasty little creatures, after all.


	13. Part 13

Rancor Slam

Part 13

She woke up in a White room, under white sheets.

Out side the door were people moving, most were in white Jedi Robes.

Kir and Jak were asleep. They were lying on either side of her. 

She wondered about that for a moment, How could two grown men fit of a bed with a woman without smooching her?

Then she felt a divide below her spine. They had two beds, of course.

__

But why did they need two beds? Why had she been asleep? Was she hurt? Had she slept all the way to Dagobah?

She couldn't remember why she had been asleep. She didn't know where she was, or who was with her. She sat up a little to look around. She felt pain trying to meddle its way into her mind. She shunted it aside. She wanted to know.

She saw Slee and Uun asleep in the Visitor's chairs at the foot of her bed. Vo sat on the floor, between them, his head against the wall. He, too, asleep.

__

What time is it? What Day is it? How long had I slept? The questions came to her again and, again, she had no idea as to how to answer them.

She looked toward the door and noticed it open. She blinked and looked at the door again.

It was raised, off the floor, and low, away from the ceiling. Like some oval floating in the wall. It had Dog-Ear latches, like on old Sea-Ships. Well, no, really like the hatches the Slip Stream's Jedi use on their Medical Cruisers. Why would she be on a Jedi Med-Cruiser?

Well obviously was hurt, sometime, somehow. She instinctively looked back toward the door. Vua was coming in, arguing quiet- but fiercely.

"…I'm telling you…she's awake…"

"How…tell…?…no evidence…"

"Vu-a?" She croaked, softly as to not wake her two sleeping men. Her voice was soft, dry but he turned and looked at her.

"Milady." He said softly. 

He grabbed a glass of water off a passing Medicate-droid, and carried it toward her. He looked at Jak and Kir then he moved to the foot of the bed. He crawled up so her sat across her legs then held her up so that she could hold the cup.

She had to use both her hands to hold the drink and get it to her mouth. Her hands were shaking so bad she lost half of the small cup's contents onto her paper dress, onto Kir and Jak.

The both woke immediately and moved to help hold her up or help her support the cup.

She drank as much as her weary body told her it could hold at one time, then pushed it away and looked down at herself. Her three other Vong were standing watching helplessly.

__

What is wrong with our Lady? they were all looking at each other.

Kir moved off of his bed and pulled her onto it in one movement.

"Medic?" She asked.

A boy looking about half her age showed p at her side. "I'm Gif, Padawan-Apprentice to Master Healer Six. What can I do for you, Lady Cas?"

"Where am I?"

"You're on the _Healing Star_, in orbit above Dagobah."

She knew the ship; she'd been on it before. "How long have I been here?"

"You've been on the _Star_ for two weeks. We've been over Dagobah for two hours."

She nodded. "How did I get here?"

"When we were leaving, on the last transport," Vua said. "The Commander you struck down threw a Razorbug at your back. It got you on the transport, but it hit something in your back."

"Yes." The young padawan said, his eyes half lidded. "You'd be crippled if your Jedi instincts hadn't kicked in. And sterile if your Jak wasn't holding a care package." He raised his eyebrows at her.

"I'll just say, it entered low on one side and ate its way through to the other. Very messy. So if things aren't working at their best for awhile," He smiled gesturing to her hands. "It's to be expected."

"When can I leave? When can I go home, to Dagobah?"

"Padawan Quwil is down on the Planet, with your other apprentices and Guards men, getting your House prepped for your arrival, they insisted that you'd be up and about before it was time for you all to leave again."

He smiled. It was the kind of doctor smile she had always wanted to rip of their faces. "This is the first time we've had less than ten people in here. I don't want to imagine what would have happened if you hadn't awoken."

"I'm remembering…" She looked at Vua. "How many Witches did we loose?"

"Thirty, dead. Twenty injured, fifteen of which had been planning on going to the other continent but the healers wouldn't clear them to go that far. So, according to the Padawans, you have a very full House."

"Speaking of which," She looked at the medic, "when can I go to my House?"

"Once we have your medications bottled, we'll release you. A supply shuttle is supposed to go dirtdown in thirty minutes. I'll make sure your all on it. I don't want to see your people come back up here, protesting us keeping you when after the first time you really woke up. Your clothes are in the closet, I think you have enough help to get dressed. I'll go get your meds."

Once the boy was gone Cas looked around the room. "Males out." She glared at them all, to make sure they didn't protest. Jak sighed. He tapped Vua and Kir on their respective shoulders and then left with Vo bringing up the rear.

Slee moved to get her clothes and Uun came over to help her pull the paper gown away. After a few bumps, laughs, and mumbled apologies, Cas was dressed.

It wasn't long after that she discovered she had limits as to how much she could do. How far she could walk and such. After a few negotiations, she agreed to let Kir carry her.

But only on the condition she got to walk when she saw her Padawans.

With only limited help from Uun and Slee, the only two possibly short enough for her to lean on, comfortably, without her feet leaving the ground.


	14. Part 14

Rancor Slam

Part 14

They rode down on an old shuttle called the Traveler with a crew going dirtdown on leave a few construction engineers and other healed passengers.

Cas sat by a veiwport. As she felt the clouds begin to part around the ship, she called Vo, Vua, Slee and Uun to her as she saw Light City.

On a hill in the center of the city was an exact replica of the towering Jedi Temple from Coruscant, in a bright, living pinkish/coral color. The whole city was the same bright pick/coral color. There wasn't a spot of darkness in Light City with its short wide buildings and broad parkways. The streets had to be broad. Using Speeders just never really felt right to anyone on such a living planet. So most people walked on Dagobah.

And the City was never truly dark. When landing at night the City looked like a sea of shimmering stars. Like an easy, simpler, more elegant Coruscant, from the old days.

They landed at a small landing pad not to far from Cas's lakeside Chateau. At the Port she saw a tall blonde man waiting for her with Klik beside him. Kir carried her down the ramp and she saw the blonde man was, in fact, Master Luke Skywalker.

Her surprise must have shown because a smile formed on his lips. 

"Hello?" She said uncertainly. "Um, what are you, ah, doing here?"

He smiled wider, for a second she thought his face would crack. "It's amazing what your people have done. Was all this here when Yoda was training me all those years ago?"

She smiled sadly, "Yes, unfortunately we were ordered not to interfere. Yoda went to the continent we're sending the Witches that want to preserve their way of life. He sent a Force storm and ordered a black out to make sure you landed where he wanted you to."

Luke gave her an 'oh really' look. "Hmm… no one had told me that yet." 

"Hey, are you guys coming?" She looked up to see Mara and Corran standing on either side of Dec. Cas raised an eyebrow at him over her shoulder as she climbed up Klik.

Her four Yuuzahn Vong climbed on her behind her. That way if any misguided young ones, or non-Jedi felt they had to act they'd have a harder target. And the four wouldn't get lost or bombarded by any loose scientists.

As if there were many in Light City.

"Mara, Corran and myself have come to check out your invitation to send the young ones here." He looked away, abashed. "The gravity here isn't as light as it is on Dathomir but, luckily, its light enough for the Rancors."

She gave Luke the look and shook her head, "If it was other wise, I wouldn't have had them evacuated. I wouldn't have taken them if I thought I was ensuring their deaths by taking them."

"Milady." Dec moved toward her. "I am so happy to see you alive and well. Bless my circuits, if I had to train another Master of Politics so soon I don't know what I would do."

"Ha, thanks Dec."

"Oh, you are most welcome madam." Said the droid, ignoring her sarcasm. "Now, if you don't mind, your schedule. The High Council wishes to see you sometime tomorrow."

"Noon." She said. "They don't like meetings at noon. It will keep them from keeping us too long. When are we cleared for Space?"

"We have to stay for meetings with basically every council on Dagobah. Even if we take, say six a day, it will be at lest a few days. Master Zinx wants to know when you're planning to marry Kir."

"Umm. Oh, wow, I totally forgot…um, sorry. Will you make arrangements, Dec?"

"You only need to say the day."

"How soon can it be ready?"

"I can have it set up in the southern courtyard at the Manor, by sunset."

"Good, that will do." She felt both Dec and Kir look at her. She kept her gaze fixedly forward.

They were moving out on to the street with Kir, Jak and Dec ahead of Klik, and Luke's group behind. She could feel every one looking at her Yuuzahn Vong.

Their emotions hit her like a searing wind. Some were curious, some were furious. Some wanted to know, some wanted them to go. But no one wanted to harm them, yet. She knew that soon they would pass the Southern Youngling Barracks. Then they would pick up a tail of wondering children. But that would only last until they reached the Gate of her House.

"How many different councils do I have to brief?"

"Well, I have contacted Stil, the Higher Council's Secretary Droid. She is scheduling your meeting with the High Council at Noon."

"Then I contacted Tiks, at your main office, to get a list of the most immediate demands on your time. It seems my estimate of every Council wanting to see you was quiet on target. She is now ranking them by most importance and I am taking the top six."

"Alright, Now, " Dec cleared his throat and shifted feet. More of his human behaviors she had had installed.

Most 3PO's realize they are defenseless and thus try to make friends with every one they meet, in the hope that said person, or persons, will protect them when the going gets rough. But more often than not they only succeed in annoying the person they want to befriend. So, for Cas's sanity she had that programming replaced with a more human-like personality.

Now the droid had many human-like and, for a droid, useless traits that made him easier to be around, with out trying to deactivate him. He carried a satchel on his waist with a datapad, a comm unit, battery pacs, datacards and, amazingly enough, a blaster. Which he would only use to protect Cas, or her Padawans, or his more secret cargo, To keep anything of value, anything not for public consummation, from being turned over to the wrong people.

"You also have request for your time from The House Representatives," His words pulled her from her thoughts.

"Great. Schedule an hour of lunch after the Higher Council meeting." She hesitated, thinking. If she goes after the Higher meeting she won't be…excitable during the Higher Council Meeting, but they could keep her long enough to make her miss her other meetings. Or, if she goes before, they'll only keep her forty-five minutes so that if she's late to the Higher Council meeting it will be clearly her fault not theirs.

If she goes before she escapes them sooner and gets to her other meetings on time, at the cost of her patience. "I'll go to the Social Senate before the Higher Council, at say eleven?" Kir 

smiled at her nickname for her least favorite Council. Of course he couldn't blame her. They'd never shunned him.

"Of course," Dec said. "Will that be as Lady Cas Shik'rican or Lady Kir Die'ril?"

"Um…For now leave it as Cas Shik'rican."

"Yes, milady. The Council of Training wishes to see you."

Cas smiled. Her favorite council, the one she had been trained to be a member of. "That will be the my first meeting of the day. Say, about ten?"

"Yes milady. Now there is the Council of Life."

"Two."

"The Council of Defense."

"Three."

"The Circle of Balance."

She looked down to the 3PO droid. Some one was levitating him off the ground so that they all didn't have to walk at his short shuffling pace. "Hmmm, Move them to two and the others back an hour."

"Of Course. Let's see…"

She frowned, was it a bad sign that she was scheduling them to make it easier for her to escape them?

They turned left off of Main Street, to ward the Youngling Barracks and the Lake.


	15. Part 15

Rancor Slam

Part 15

"Of Course. Let's see…The Council of Masters wishes to see you, something about advances in rank."

"Hmm." Her eyes half lidded. None of her apprentices were where she wanted them before she had them advanced any further. "Schedule them at Five. And No more meetings after that, that should be your six meetings. Right, Dec?"

"Yes, Milady."

"Good. I want to go to my office by six and see what is going on. But don't tell them, or officially log it until it's over. I want to make sure their all working as they should."

"Yes, Milady." They turned long, dead-end street that ended in her home. "Master Kyl wanted to see you about taking on Lyn as another apprentice."

"I'll meet her at my office tomorrow."

"Umm…She's waiting in the Round Room, now."

"Or I'll see her now. Dec, I want to be home tomorrow at no later then Seven. Have the kitchen staff prepare the meal for tomorrow accordingly."

"Yes, Milady."

"I'll spend at least two hours after that with my Padawans, then its lights out. Dueling practice, tomorrow, at dawn. They can go back to bed afterwards."

"Yes Milady."

"Is that fine?"

"Yes, that's Dueling at Dawn. Then back to bed until eight. You're first meeting with the Council of Training at ten. The 'Social Senate' at Eleven and the Higher Council at noon. Then an hour lunch back at home, starting at one. Followed by a meeting with the Circle of Balance at two. The Council of Life will see you at three. After that a meeting with the Council of Defense at four. Your last meeting will be with the Council of Masters at five. Then to your office for a, say, thirty minute inspection. Absolutely last, home, dinner, training, and bed."

"Thank you, Dec."

They reached the Main gate to the Compound. She looked through the ornamental gate at her family home. Calling this place a house would be like calling the Jedi Library a data cache.

The place was huge. They had their own River-fed Lake, deep enough, in some places, for Rancor swimming. And was filled with its own living creatures, some big enough to feed a full-grown Rancor.

And her room was on the third floor, with a staircase going straight down to a private cove. The cove had its own pier, where Cas kept a Kayak for when she was home and wanted exercise or to go out to on of the islands where she could be alone. 

"Oh," She snapped her fingers as a thought came to her. "All Padawans over the age of nine will be running no less than eight kilometers tomorrow at eight."

They knew that running from east to west in a semi-circle along the gate would provide her Padawans their 8-klik run. She also knew most of the time they went a head and went the whole way around to the lake, to cool off. "Either before or after breakfast. I don't care, let them vote amongst themselves."

"At Ten, they will then report to Small Island Military Training Base, to Drill Master Kid." She smiled this would be the first time Nii meet Master Kid. Well, the first time for Lyn too.

"They will do Physical Training until he releases them for lunch. At three, all my Padawans will report to the Main Jedi Library. There Master Nel'kri will give talk to them about some event in Jedi History."

"Dec, I want you to tell Master Kid and Master Nel'kri, that they are to prepare for my Padawans at those times. Once their schedules are confirmed and they tell you what they are planning."

"I, then, want you to print a hard copy of their schedule and give it to the Governess. She is to make sure they make follow it, even if she has to run with them."

"I will pass the message along, what about the Witches?"

"Um, If their well enough tell them about the Padawans exercising. Also tell them that if they want to join the War effort training with the Padawans would make it easier to find them Masters to learn the Force with."

"Of Course, madam. And Governess Mere'chen wants to talk to you about her eldest Son. The Training Council says he's showing enough potential and she wants to know about his training."

"Sure I'll speak with her…after dinner."

"But before dinner your getting married."

Her eyes widened. She forgot that again!

"Ah, fine, she and Jak will be helping me get ready, we'll speak then."

"Master Kyl is, still, waiting in the Round Room."

"Ah!" She took a deep, calming breath. Why were things getting so nuts? "Fine, send her to my dressing room. Masters traditionally help in their Padawans' weddings anyway. We'll all talk while I get ready."

She slid off the Rancor and started hobble-walking up the stairs, toward the door. "And have Mrs. Mere'chen send Lyn up to me in the study as soon as possible. And assign Lyn a room, I trust her to have kept the records about our open rooms."

Truth was Mrs. Mere'chan was more than a Governess. She was one of the few non-Jedi that had married a Jedi. Once a Jedi married and non-Jedi they, more often then not, were shunned. Much like Cas was.

The fact that Mrs. Mere'chen had been a slave-trading pirate before marrying Knight Rik Mere'chen, didn't help much either.

They had come to Cas because their Union had been shunned by even the most caring and open of the Houses and the shunned-one's attitude was usually 'one for all and all for one'.

They had needed work and Cas had needed a couple to run her household while she was away. Thus, Cas had taken them in and it had been one of the best decisions of her life.

She opened the front door to her home and saw all her Padawans and Guards standing there, on the entry landing. They greeted her warmly, with hugs and greetings. But it didn't last long. Ten minutes after Cas's Arrival, Governess Mere'chen showed up and sent everyone on to their respective chores, to get Cas's wedding up and ready.

"Aye, my girl," The older woman said as she began escorting Cas up the Stairs and away from Kir and the others. Lyn following silently. "You didn't give us much warning. You will be married by sun down, but new robes are sparing."

"I was thinking you might wear you Senatorial White robes." Cas nodded, that was fine. Senatorial Robes for women were more like flowing white formals anyway.

"All the Padawans, even Lyn, have rooms prepared along Padawan hall." Padawan Hall was what they called the smaller Northern Wing redesigned specially, by Cas's House Crew once she was deemed to a future Training-Master. 

"All of the Eastern and half of the Western Wings have Dathomirian Witches roomed with their slaves" The older woman _looked_ at Cas, "and belongings. We are having a large Shelter constructed near the deepest part of the Lake for the Rancors to habituate should they so choose."

"Now," They reached the Second Floor Landing on the Main Stair Well and Stopped. "I understand that you are getting Married this night. And that you are going to be talking with your old Master about your new Padawan. And that you are simultaneously training Padawans, Running the Politics' Office, and fighting a War."

The lady smiled. "But I would most appreciate it if you would consider training my sons when, in a few years, the oldest one is of age enough to leave the Youngling Barracks and gain a Master. I would love to say my Master is my sons' Master."

Cas smiled. "I would love to teach your children. And, if it can be arranged I would be proud to do so."

They continued up the stairs. "Oh," She looked at the Governess as they walked. "Dec is going to give you a schedule for my Padawans, for tomorrow. Would you tell Dec to pick up travel lessons, in all subjects, for the Padawans, at their respective levels? Say six months of lessons?"

"Also, remind him to turn in the Holochrons I have, that I use to train them and to pick up a few new ones. A few training and a few for personal review."

"My, you keep that poor droid so busy-"

She smiled. "Tell him, that if he wants, he can pick himself a counter part. Someone to do the tedious recordings and things, or run errands, or whatever. Some nice droid girl, or whatever, to help him and render aid…"

"-Yes ma'am, but you aren't going back to work tomorrow are you?"

Cas nodded, looking at the woman, wondering what she was going to say.

"But you can't, my girl! Aren't you going to get to know that amazing man, whom you are going be calling a husband soon?"

Cas looked at the woman a moment. "I need to get ready." Her tone was a little cold, but very steady. "Now."

Mere'chen looked at her a moment longer. "Aye, milady."


	16. Part 16

Rancor Slam

Part 16

They made it to the third floor, Cas's sanctuary on Dagobah.

Starting in the North, going South, there was a small room with its own closet and refresher. It was meant to be Jak's room. 

Beside it was a larger bedroom, meant to be her children's room until they were old enough to become Younglings. It had a slightly larger 'fresher station and multiple closets.

The landing went to a greeting/study, where Cas did her office work at home.

Then there was an inner greeting room and large dressing room that held her clothes. It was where she would get ready at the start of everyday.

That room lead to two others. On one side was her Refresher station. It had a large bathtub and a shower unit. It was one of the places she allowed herself to unwind. Both that room and the dressing room lead to her bedroom.

The two of the bedroom's walls were almost solid viewport. There was a hidden door that led to a set of stairs that lead directly down to a hidden, secret cove. 

Cas didn't worry about all glass walls for a few reasons. One, no one normally looked up that high. And, two, unless you were flying in, determined to get pictures the trees blocked your view.

"Have someone move Jak's things into his room." She told Mere'chen. "And refit the children's room for the four Yuuzahn Vong. Then help them move in. They'll probably need help understanding and using the technology."

The lady nodded. 

"Will you go prep the dressing room?"

The woman nodded, again, and left.

Cas moved into her study.

It was decorated in wood paneling and hunter green. 

Along one wall, to the right as you enter the study, was a large desk made of polished Dagobah Ash wood. It had all kinds of Cas's personal office machines and things.

Along another wall, to the left of the desk, was a glass sliding door that lead out to a large balcony where Cas had spend many mornings sitting, thinking, with a cup of caf.

Along the last wall, to the left of the door, was an installed cabinet set. It covered the whole wall. 

The top half was made up of shelves with books, datacards, artifacts and momentous Cas had collected over the years sitting on them. The lower half had shelves but they had doors over them. Most of these Cabinets had papers from Cas's office, or leather-bound flimsy journals of training and Jedi adventures.

Only one of them had a real lock. She went to that cabinet and called Lyn to her. She unlocked it and spoke as she sat on the floor. 

Lyn took a seat in front of her, peering into the cabinet.

"Becoming a Training Master is a big commitment. You promise your life to protecting those weaker than you, and the Force when you become a Jedi. But as a Trainer of Jedi, you swear yourself a most solemn vow. You swear your life to the continuance of the Jedi art."

Cas selected a BlastSword from where it hung on a peg along the back of the cabinet and handed it to Lyn.

"I took this vow when it was asked of me, by my Master, at the age of thirteen. I kept it secret from my fellow Padawans, for many reasons, Lyn. One, so that I didn't disrupt the training of others. And, two, because I knew, that in taking this oath I was becoming one of the servants, not one of the served."

"It was my private charge, until I felt I was worthy of truly claiming it."

Lyn nodded. She was trying to hide it, but she had no clue as to why Cas was telling her this.

"Every Training Master has to choose at least one replacement, then train them, not only as a Jedi, but as a Trainer of others in what it means to be Jedi."

Lyn nodded, A small light of understanding was entering the young Ryn's eyes.

"When a Jedi dies her LightSaber does one of two things. It either goes to her family or it can be sent to her Trainer." Cas moved aside a black cloth that was hanging from the upper shelf over the lower one. Lyn saw a blue chest sitting there.

"Every Trainer gives their Trainee a few LightSabers to hold, to learn about, to pass on to others. When the Trainer's Trainer dies she gives her Trainees' Trainees all the Lightsabers that she has accumulated." She almost laughed out loud as she watched Lyn puzzled that one out.

"Now, I'm not going to ask you to take the vow, in this, this night or ever. I will never demand it of you. But I will give you something and let you think about taking this path."

Cas opened the Chest and let Lyn look at the carefully arranged and cared for Lightsabers.

"These are the keys to generations of knowledge and training. Taking one of these to the Main Jedi Library and sliding it into the proper terminal will render to you more then you ever thought possible."

She tapped different Lightsabers until she found the one she wanted. She pulled it out and then leaned back to the Cabinet and pulled out a random holochron. It only looked random, until you _looked_ at it with _other eyes,_ then it matches the Lightsaber perfectly. 

She held the Lightsaber out the Lyn. "This belonged to a Jedi named Shirken. She was one of the first Ryn to be discovered to have enough sensitivity to be trained, and the only one ever allowed to undergo said training, during the Old Days. I believe," Cas said. "You are her fourth generation granddaughter."

"She was a Trainer, and One of the greatest." She smiled sadly to herself. "After Master Kyl told me about this path, that she wanted me to be her Trainee, this was the Jedi I wanted to be like most." She laughed lightly and smiled to herself. "After Master Kyl, of course."

She held out the holocron. "Take this. After the ceremony I want you to go to your room, sit on your bed, meditate. Meet your grandmother. Speak with her. If she tells you she thinks this is where the Force wants you to go, I urge you take the oath, begin your training. If not, bring back the Holochron and this conversation will have never happened."

Cas stood and left the young one to her thoughts.

Lyn sat there a moment longer, staring at the Lightsaber. It was the Lightsaber of an ancient Jedi Master. One of her blood, a Ryn. And the Lightsaber made it clear, the woman had known who she was and had been proud of it.

It was made of a highly polished, silvery metal; Cas had taken good care of it. There was a black rubber grip. Covering it, decorating the hilt where small, carved images of Sabacc cards. Theses were the religious memorization cards of the Ryn that had been turned, by other races, into a tool for gambling.

She smiled. So it was a family thing, this sensitivity. She stood and activated the blade. She watched it from itself of dancing golden shine.

She could be a Trainer.

She could continue the family tradition.

She could speak to her grandmother!


	17. Part 17

Rancor Slam

Part 17

Cas smiled as she felt the young Ryn's spirits soar. When she figured the girl was out of hearing range, she clicked the door closed and turned to face the music.

'No good deed goes unpunished.' she sighed.

She turned and saw Master Kyl smiling at her.

That made her step falter. She had thought her old Master had come to talk her out of training Lyn.

"I had, my old Padawan." Master Kyl's eyes went misty. "You broke it to her so much better than I broke it to you."

Cas smiled sheepishly. "I've been practicing that speech since I met Young Lyn, all those years ago, Master."

"Oh, so I couldn't have talked you out of training her if I tried."

"No, Master, but it would have made me feel like heel."

Her master laughed softly, a gentleness crept into her face. It was something she had never shown any one except her first Padawan, the little girl named Cas. "Can I talk you out of any of the others, than?"

"No, Master. It would be detrimental and disruptive to their training. Things have happened…" Cas walked further into the room, toward her Master.

"We've formed bonds. All of us, including the guards. To say I can't take it would be saying all the sacrifice was nothing to me. To send them away would be to hurt them, handicap them, in ways that we couldn't possibly imagine and would never want to explore."

"No," Cas said with finality. "The only way I'll give them up is to the Knight-trials. And while Syn and Nii could probably face the trials and succeed, there are things they still need to learn that they can only get from experience. Experience that would serve them best if they had a Trainer they trusted to point it out to them, so that they may see how they've learned."

Kyl nodded. "I respect that." Kyl nodded to herself, thinking. "Will you be taking the rank of Master? It would give you greater resources and clearances for fighting a war, and training, is it nine? Or ten Padawans?"

Cas looked, down, sheepishly.

Her old Master was one of the few on Dagobah that could make her feel like that young, newly turned little girl from Coruscant. The little girl Cas thought had died years ago.

"Ten. And I can name them all. And recite their progress in training."

She heard Mere'chen move into the room, from the bathroom. She ignored the woman.

"That's impressive. But ten! You're like a little traveling academy."

She could hear the water running for the oversized bathtub.

The tub was large like almost everything else in the house. It was supposedly big enough for up to twelve.

"Yes, Master, I know. My guards help me train them, mainly in dueling. And I help the Guards, giving them truths and knowledge they'd have never sought, or found, on their own."

She saw Jak moving in the tub, in water up to his hips.

Master Kyl followed her eyes and raised her eyebrows. "That's Jak? Hmm, he's grown up nicely."

"Yeah," was all Cas could say about her concubine, her man-slave.

"Well let's get started." Kyl said.

Traditionally A Jedi's Master walks their Padawan down the isle and gives their Padawan away, into the Union.

Cas's clothes were gone and a few moments later she was sitting in the water with Jak scrubbing her body, Kyl scrubbing her hair and Mere'chen doing her nails in 'Political Red'.

Kyl and Mere'chen finished and went to get her dress and things ready.

Jak finished and looked at her. There was a sad smile in his eyes.

"Jak?" she said. "What's wrong?"

He looked at her then dropped down and held her. He allowed his body to float away from hers as he hugged her. "Milady… everything's wrong. There's a war where there should be peace. There are new men taking my place in your bed…"

"Men?"

"Kir Die'ril."

"That's one, but he's going to be my husband."

"What about Vua Shai and that Vo Kwaad?"

"They aren't sharing my bed, Jak."

He looked up at her. "They aren't? But I saw the way they look at you. Kir saw it too. He doesn't like it."

"But if you with that logic you'd think I'm sleeping with Uun and Slee, too."

"Hmmm. What about our reunion? That definitely wasn't what I had in mind."

"Yeah, well, I'm learning things don't always go as planned during war."

"Yeah. So you gonna take it back?" _It _was _the gift_. The unexpected result to the Trials.

"I kinda have to."

"Yeah."

They both knelt in the sitting nook. They kept six inches of space between them. She summoned the Force to her as they reduced the distance.

Their hands, their chests and heads were about and inch apart. They moved like they were going to kiss, keeping the distance between them.

When his lips hovered an inch over Cas's she took a deep, sucking breath. The fact that she got some of her training from the Witches of Dathomir made it so that integrating physical actions made great taps on the Force, easier.

She felt it moving around her. The Force moved like a cold wind around Cas and Jak that spiraled around them as they knelt there. It infused it self into both of them.

She felt it grab her gift to Jak and push it out of him, up, following his windpipe. It flowed out of his mouth, into hers. Down along her windpipe until it sat over her stomach. She pulled away from Jak and fell shakily back into her seat.


	18. Part 18

Rancor Slam

Part 18

Her limbs were like noodles, her head was spinning, and she felt heavy. She laughed. She didn't know why she just laughed until she began to cry.

Well, she did know why. He hated her. 

Well no, that was wrong too. He didn't hate her; he could never truly hate her. Or, at least, she though he could never really hate her.

He hated the uncertainty.

He hated the Vong.

He hated the War.

He hated the fact that she was party to it.

He hated leaving Dathomir.

He hated her getting hurt.

He hated her getting married.

He hated her loving a man that wasn't him.

He hater her loving that man enough to marry.

He hated Kir for being that man.

He hated himself for not being Force-sensitive enough to take Kir's place.

He hated wondering if she still loved him, or if she would still love him.

He hated himself for hating it all.

She laughed until sobs rocked her body.

She felt some one grab her from behind and pull her out of the water. A warm towel was wrapped around her as some one pulled her into their lap.

By the strength in person's hands She probably couldn't do anything about it in the state she was in, so she didn't even try to fight. But the person was trying to comfort her any way, so why bother?

She sat there her sobs gradually quieting as the person rocked her back and forth, holding her to their body.

She came back to herself as her sobs dissipated. Master Kyl was holding her on one of the plush benches in her dressing room.

"Master Kyl?" She said as she saw Mere'chen walk back into the room. "Where's Jak?"

"He's in his room, sleeping." Mere'chen answered.

"Why?"

"You took a hit from his emotions." Master Kyl said, "It was so nasty I sent him into a healing trance. It should let him think about things from all the angles. It should help heal him emotionally. Or let him take in and make peace with what's going on."

"I don't like him being treated like a child." Cas said almost angrily.

"Then cancel the wedding, awaken Jak with the fabled kiss, and," She raised an eyebrow, "heal him the way he wants you to heal him."

Cas hesitated and shook her head. "I can't do that to Kir. I'm already pushing him around like a twig. I won't snap what he wants, what we both need, for Jak. He's already uncertain about his rank where I'm concerned, and telling him Jak comes first is not a message I want to give him."

"Then forget this. Get ready. Marry Kir. Be his beautiful, blushing bride. And later, when Jak awakens himself from the trance be there for him." Kyl ran a hand through Cas's hair. "And when you feel comfortable tell them how things are going to be."

Cas looked at her, helplessly for a moment. "What did I do? Why me?"

"You were the amazing, intriguing, beautiful Jedi Knight I know and love."

Cas laughed. "Well," Cas took a shaky breath and gave as brave a smile as she could muster, "I have a wedding to get ready for."


	19. Part 19

Rancor Slam

Part 19

Luke sat in the third row as the ceremony began.

Kir and A man Corran had recognized as Master Yue came in from the left. Cas and a woman he was told was Master Kyl came in from the right.

Luke looked around. He had been told by… someone that this was a big event that every Council and House would be represented here.

But, truth be told, he wouldn't know them from a hole in the wall, he just knew it had drawn quiet a large crowd.

The four met in the middle and turned to the officiator, the Masters stood Arm-in-arm in the center.

"We are here on this day to wittiness the Union of Lady Cas Shik'rican and Lord Kir Die'ril. Who gives them to this joining?"

"We do." Kyl and Yue answered together.

"As their Masters you have played a most vital role in their lives. Now you agree to step back and advise them as they learn to respect and love each other in all things?"

They both looked at their Charges then to each other. "We do."

"Then you are dismissed and thanked."

Yue and Kyl stepped back and stood, still arm-in-arm three paces behind the couple, three paces before the crowd.

Cas and Kir moved together. They faced each other, holding their hands up between them, looking into each other's eyes.

"Jedi are the protectors of the Weak. We are the voice of the Force. We bring reason in times on insanity. We bring hope in time of despair. We bring truth into the den of lies. And we fight to keep others from falling."

"When a Jedi takes a mate it is a special thing. But when that mate is one of their fellow Jedi it is even greater. It is a commitment that transcends death and time. It never truly ends."

"While many debate when it truly begins, it has been found that Jedi have a bond, a recogn'ing of which two people compliment each other exactly, what will provide the best future Jedi from the joining."

He smiled and eased his official pose; Cas and Kir turned their heads to look at him. "Most of us that have known Cas and Kir for so long, have only wondered when they would admit it and give in to the Force between them. I am happy to proclaim this to be that day." There was some light laughter around the crowd.

"The Lord and Lady will exchange symbols of their love later, but now with us they will exchange Vows of Jedi Matrimony."

"Lord Kir Die'ril, do you commit yourself to this joining completely? Will you love Cas with all you have? And serve with her as the Force dictates?"

"I will." Kir said.

"Lady Cas Shik'rican, do you commit yourself to this joining completely? Will you love Kir with all you have? And serve with him as the Force dictates?"

"I will." Said Cas.

"You may now kiss the bride."

Kir used their hands to pull Cas to him, and then he slid his hand around behind her and kissed her, deeply.


	20. Part 20

Rancor Slam

Part 20

They ate dinner with their guest before retreating to Cas's bedroom.

Cas and Kir sat side by side at the head of the main table.

Their Masters on either side of the table then the Padawans, then a handful of the highest ranking Masters, Luke, Mara, and Corran, and Cas's Guard.

"So Cas you're going right back into work tomorrow morning?" Lio asked, almost conversationally.

"Yes." Cas said as she took another bite of her dinner. "The sooner we get back, the more we can get done, the sooner this mess will end."

"You have your Padawans dueling at dawn."

It was more of a statement but she answered anyway. "Yes."

"Lio, does this have a point?" Kir asked, he was a little more direct than the professional politician.

"Sorry, Kir, I was wondering if your Lady would allow her Guard to give her a wedding gift."

Kir just looked at him, waiting.

Lio stood and walked down the side of the table Master Kyl and the Padawans sat on. "Well, we didn't really have time to go buy anything. That Mere'chen's a slave driver…"

"That's her job." Cas offered with light-hearted smart-alec-ness that she hadn't allowed herself in years.

Lio smiled at her. "I was wondering if you would allow your Guard to take that practice for you."

Cas hesitated. "You know the rule. There must be a Training Master present for training to occur."

"I'll do it." Masters Yue and Kyl said at the same time.

"That's two." Lio said.

Cas was still unsure. 

Kyl looked to her grown Padawan. "Master Yue and I no longer train our Padawans at dawn. Perhaps in working with yours we will be inspired to begin Dawn-Training with our Padawans, once again."

Cas smiled, allowing her doubts to be taken by her Master. "Well we want everyone to get the same torture, now don't we?" She looked to Yue. "Do you still have the records I gave you?"

The Man nodded.

"I'll have the Governess send you updated files." She watched as Kir stood.

He held a hand out to her. "Shall we?"

She took his hand and stood. She allowed him to lead her out of the room while she spoke. "Well, enjoy yourselves. I'll see my morning detail at eight thirty and my Padawans later."

She let Kir lead her up the stairs to her bedroom.

Well, he got them to the third floor. She had never allowed her Guard into her Dagobah quarters. They were here refuge, she would not allow it to be intruded upon.

She led him in, and took in the room like he must be seeing it.

The two outer walls were all viewport and support column. Outside the sun was setting, casting warm shadows through the room. The solid walls were royal blue with thin bead-like stripes the color of the carpet. The Carpet was a light powdery purple. The doors leading back into the other rooms were matte black. The ceiling was a light dusty gray a few shades lighter than the carpet.

To the Right of the door they had entered was a large bed that looked like a small family of Wookies could sleep in it. It had Sheets made of Dagobah silk, a few shades darker than the carpet.

Across the room from the bed was a large entertainment center. Mostly it was her music player and recordings. But there was a small holoprojector she used to watch the news some mornings.

On top of the center were different types of Cameras and blank things for them to record on. She sometimes took them to practices to get memorable film of her Padawans.

Sitting on either side of the set, specialized stands stood with musical instruments standing in them. She motioned to the door to the left of the one they had entered.

"I had Mere'chen move your stuff into the Dressing Room. You and I can rearrange things and find places for your stuff later."

She led Kir a little short of the foot of the bed. 

The Wedding Ceremony is just something done for family and friends. The real Jedi Joining is a ceremony done with just the two Knights.

The ceremony let the Knights Know for sure weather or not their Force-bond was true.

They helped each other disrobe then moved in prefect synchronization to either side of the bed. They knelt in the center of bed, keeping two hand spans between them.

They opened themselves to the Force, opening the door between themselves and the full flow of the Force. The kept their _awarenesses _inside the room. It filled the room around them, hot and pulsing.

They both raised their right hands and met their hands between them.

It was like nothing a Human could describe. They could feel what the other felt, hear what the other heard, think what the other thought. Like her connection to her Yuuzahn Vong but a thousand times deeper.

And Cas knew, in that moment their bond was real.

That they would never be truly apart.

And that she would be with child in the morning.


End file.
